Convertible top boot construction



Dec. 29, 1953 A. KAVALAR.

CONVERTIBLE TOP BOOT CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 24, 1.952

ALFRED KAI ALA JNVENTOR. E2". 714% A T'TORNE VS Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATE$ EQ A'EENT OFFICE Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich,

tionof Delaware a. corpora.-

AppiicationOctober 24, 1952, Serial No. 316;703 4 Claims. (01. 296-136) This invention relates generally to a convertjac'ent rolled edge of the back belt molding of' the vehicle body in such manner as to be readily detachable yet hold the boot securely in place. A further object is to completely conceal the fastening elements from view when the boot isattached to the body, and also to provide a resilient binding atthe edge of the boot overlying and engaging the upper portion of the molding so as to provide a seal therebetween.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a boot construction for a convertible body in which the inboard and outboard edges of the boot are secured to the body by different typesof fastening means, with the fastening means at the outboard edge of the boot being more readily detached by means of an upward pull uponthe boot so that the operation of raising the top of the convertible automatically, by reason of theengagement between the top linkage and the interior of the boot, disconnects the fastenings at the outboard edge'of the boot from the'adjacent molding permitting the boot to fall into its compartment, and thus eliminating the necessityfor manually detaching the boot when it is desired to raise the top.

Other objects and advantages will be made moreapparent as this description proceeds, par ticularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the rearward portionof a motor vehicle of the convertible type, showing the boot for the top in its operative position attached to the body. 'Figure2 is a plan view of a portion of the con structionshown in Figure 1, partly broken away,

showing the fastening means between the cut v board edge of the boot andtthe adjacent belt molding.

Figure 3 is across sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4- is a fragmentary exploded perspective view, partly in section, showing a portion of the belt molding of the vehicle body and a fastening element.

Figure 5- is an enlarged crosssectional View of a. conventionfastening element used between the boot and the top of the-rear seat;

. molding ll.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly tovFigure 1, the reference character II in-' dicates a motor vehicle body of. the convertibletype having. side panels 12- and a rear deck panel [3' provided with a. luggage compartment lid- M.

The vehicle is shown with the top down and with.

the boot it in place. The outboard edge of the boot is secured to the back belt molding carried by the vehicle body I1 and its inboard edge is secured to the upper portion of the rear seat. it. Conventional lift of the dot snap fasteners I 9 are utilized to secure the inboardedge of the boot Hi to the adjacent seat.

The boot I6 is of conventional construction, being formed of several pieces of vinyl material stitched together to provide a boot of the desired contour to cover the well in the body into which the top is lowered.

The outboard edge of the boot it is provided with a flexible binding 2| preferably formed of rubberor'similar material and arranged to overlap the adjacent edge of the belt molding H. The belt'molding is of course conventionally secured to-the-side panels [2 and rear deck panel [3 of the vehicle body by means of concealed fasteners (not shown)-.

Reference is now made to Figures 2'and 5 for a --more detailed description of the fastening means between the boot and the molding. The belt molding I? has an arched body portion 22, an. outboard rolled edge 23, and a cylindrical beaded portion 2d at its inboard edge. The cy-- lindrical portion. 2.4 encloses a reinforcing wire 26 to provide. greater rigidity to the. edge of the molding. The cylindrical beaded portion. 2 of themolding, continues into an outwardly extend.- ing. marginal flange 21 forming a narrow neck. portion 28. with the adjacent part of the body portion. 2.2 of the molding.

As best seen in Figure 3, the outboard edges of.

- the boot I6 are reinforced. by a strip of heavy fabric 29, and the adjacent marginal edges of the boot material and the reinforcing material. are embraced by the binding 2!. The binding has a U-shaped body portion 3| the opposite bifurcations of which are stitched to the boot material and the reinforcing material. The binding is also formedwith an integral outwardly extending flange 32 arranged to yieldably engage the inboard edge of the body portion 22 of the molding ii to provide a weather seal and form a neat appearance therewith.

A series of. fastening elements or clips 33. are providedaround the outboard edges of the. boot to yieldably attach theboot; to; the adjacent belt: Each clip has a flat body portion:

as provided ith a pair of a ertures 35 through which eYt n'i rivets 3'4 s ring the. Min to the heavy rein or in material 29. whi h in turn is o course secured to the edge of the boot IS. The u er he ds o t e r ets are therefore conceaied by the boot material.

Esten in nutward v fr m he v portion 34 of each c 33 a e snvm fin rs 37 a R. T e interme iate sprin fin er 31 is re ati ely wide and i ent r mvn ardlv to m ra no th o er p tion of the cyl ndrical bea ed ed e '24 of the m ldin The outer sownc fin rs 3 are n rrower and are 'hpnf', n'nw rdlv 110 embrace Hiq IIDF QAE'E f the in i al h ded tion of the mrflr ing The sprin fin rs 3 a d 3R are nrqfnrm d and shaped so a tn h r'anahlp, n'F l pjh shunne oventhe cy indri a b a ed portion f the m ing u on the a plication of a mQ QYQh: amount. of manual pressure, and to be retained th eon a a nst in vertent deta hm nt. vet ca able of bein readil Aatached by pulling the boot away from the molding.

It will e seen that the oot and the mar inal binding 2! con e l the fastening ement 33 from view when the boot is in o erative sition with the clips in en agement wit t e adiacent edge of the molding. A trim exterior appearance is therefore presented.

The fa teners !9 bet een t e in a d ed e of the boot and. the too of the rear seat i3 are con- Vent onal, butt n tvne fast ners each having a button 4! provided with a threaded shank 42 securing it to the seat !8. A retainer 3 arried by the boot has a snap enga ement with the button 4! and is etached by a pull axially of the button and retainer.

In use. the boot mav he entireiv rem ved from the vehi le by detaching the fastener 19 as we l as the cli s 33. or. as is often done. the inboard ed e of the boot may be left fastened to t e up eredge of the seat bv mean of the snap fasteners Hi. In this case it is only necessary to detach the cli s at t e outhwrd ed of the boot from the ar iacent belt mol ing. This can be done manually if de ired. The tv e of fastener and molding and the en agement therebetween. however. is suc that the operation of raisin the top automaticallv detaches t e cli s 33 from the moldin If the conventi nal ower driven top me hanism. is actuated while the boot i atta hed, the top mechanism linka e and roof rails rise beneath the boot. enga ing the undersi e thereof and exertin an upward and forward pres ure thereon. This pressure automatically pulls the clins 33 from their snap en a ement with the cylindrical beaded ed e 24 of the belt molding, eliminating the need for manually detaching the fasteners. Continued. upward movement of the top causes the boot, still attached at its forward or inboard edge to the seat by means of the snap fasteners 29, to fall into the well provided for the top. Since the conventional fasteners !9 provided at the inboard edge of the boot require an axial pull to detach them, they are not detached as readily as the clips 33 at the outboard edge of the boot by reason of the raising of the top, and remain attached.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a motor vehicle having a convertible type body provided with a well for receiving the top, a belt molding secured to the body adjacent the edges of the well, said molding having a continuous cylindrical beaded edge at its inboard side, a fabric boot for covering the well when the top is down and having a marginal edge adapted to overlap the cylindrical beaded edge of the molding, a plurality of fastening elements secured to the underside of said boot and each having a plurality of spring fingers adapted to resiliently engage opposite sides of the cylindrical beaded edge of the molding, and a binding secured to the outboard edge of the boot and having a portion thereof extending partially over the belt molding and concealing the fastening elements from normal View.

2. The structure defined by claim 1 which is further characterized in that the cylindrical beaded portion of the molding is provided with a solid wire core reinforcement, each fastening element having a central spring finger provided with an arcuate portion for engaging one side of the cylindrical beaded edge of the molding and a pair of spring fingers on opposite sides of the central finger provided with arcuate portions for engaging the opposite side of the cylindrical beaded portion of the molding, said spring fingers having outturned end flanges for guiding the fastening elements over the cylindrical beaded portion of the molding, the fingers being spaced apart in their free position a distance less than the outside diameter of the cylindrical beaded portion.

3. The structure defined by claim 1 which is further characterized in that a heavy fabric reinforcing strip is secured to the outboard edge of the boot on the underside thereof, and said binding having a bifurcated portion embracing the marginal edges of the adjacent boot and reinforcing material and a downwardly extending integral flange adapted to engage the body por tion of the belt molding, and rivets securing said fastening elements to the reinforcing strip with the upper heads of the rivets being located between the boot material and the reinforcing strip.

4. In a convertible type motor vehicle having a body provided with side panels, a rear deck panel, and a rear seat so located as to form therebetween a well for receiving the vehicle top when lowered, a belt molding secured to the side and deck panels adjacent the edge of the well, a boot adapted to cover the well and having its outboard edges overlapping said molding and its inboard edges overlapping said seat, fastening elements securing the inboard edge of said boot to said seat, said belt molding having a cylindrical rolled edge adjacent the well, and a plurality of fastening elements secured to the boot adjacent its outboard edge and provided with spring fingers for detachably securing the clips to the cylindrical rolled edge of the belt molding, said second mentioned fastening elements being more readily detached than said first mentioned fastening elements by an upward pull upon the boot.

ALFRED KAVALAR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,810,870 Carlson et a1 June 16, 1931 2,040,680 Westrope May 12, 1936 2,599,277 Orr June 3, 1952 

